The Brew Crew
 

So far two entries in the contest have the Brewers winning the NL Central. You guys are out of your mind. They are a bounce if I have ever seen one. Because of the NY collapse you forget that the Brewers also collapsed, and probably greater then the Mets, they had something like a 13 game lead going into mid august and poof. They might get a suck up 2nd, but I think they are more likely to get 3rd in this division.

I am sure you have come to that conclusion as an unbiased Cub's fan. Yes the brewers did collapse, but they also improved their team in the off season. With Braun moving to left and Hall to third they are a ton better defensively. The addition to Cameron (after his suspension) will improve their outfield even more. They will have the fastest outfield in the league. Their starting pitching is better than most in the division and if (if is a big word) Sheets can stay healthy they will have the best rotation in a pretty weak NL Central. Starting lineup

Cameron (after 1st 25 games)
Weeks
Fielder
Braun
Hart
Hall
Hardy
Kendall

They may strike out a lot, but they will definitely hit a ton of HR's and score a ton of runs with that lineup. Biggest question mark or potential problem for the Crew is their bullpen. If the pen is good, they should run away with the division. That is my biased brewer fan opinion, plus I do not feel that the Cubs substantially improved their club from last year.

COME ON WITH THEIR STARTING PITCHING? Sheet is the nuts when healthy, this I can not/will not argue but SUPPAN???...I can't believe you guys are even considering Capano? FIVE and TWELVE???

Without sheets they have the as good as starters as Pittsburgh, with Sheets, they are competitive with STL

Suppan(34GS) - 4.62 ERA, 12-12
Bush(31GS) - 5.12 ERA, 12-10
Capano(25GS) - 5.10 ERA, 5-12
Sheets(24gs) - 3.82 ERA, 12-5
Vargas(23gs) - 5.09 ERA, 11-6

HOW IN THE WORLD is this a good staff?

Come on NOW

You do not even have the correct pitchers

Starting Pitchers
Sheets
Yovanni Gallardo
Manny Parra
Suppan
Carlos Villanueva

Cappy won't make the starting rotation. Dave Bush is a possibility. Vargas is trade bait right now. They might not start with the above rotation, but this is what it will be by the end of the year. Gallardo pitched lights out last year and Manny Parra is pitching great in spring training and showed some stuff last year. Suppan has been a dissapointment, but he improved as the year went on.

Cubs
Zambrano
Hill
Lilly
Dempster
?

How do you consider the Cub's starters to be better? Zambrano is great, but can go thru some rough streaks especially if he loses his temper. Hill and Lilly are ok, but not world beaters. Dempster is a ? mark since he has never been a starting pitcher. I would take our youngsters over Hill and Lilly. Also, starting pitching won't matter as much when you put up 6 + runs a game!


Too bad they had to schedule the Cubs/Brewers to start the year at wrigley because there will probably be snow on the ground (or at least friggin cold)

The Cubs need not worry. They still have those staff aces Prior and Wood, right?? By staff, I mean DL, and by aces, I mean spaghetti arms.

Wood is the projected closer right now. We will see how well that works and for how long. I can't wait for his first blown save it should come by the end of March 31st or April 1st.

I'm actually afraid that Scavs is taking my post seriously. Why do I have a feeling that my Phils are about to get blasted. :D

Starting Pitchers
Sheets 12-5 3.82 ERA
Yovanni Gallardo 9-5, 3.67ERA
Manny Parra SPRING TRAINING
Suppan 12-12, 4.62 ERA
Carlos Villanueva, 8-5 (only 6 games started), 3.94 ERA

Cubs
Zambrano 18-13, 3.95 ERA
Hill 11-8, 3.92 ERA
Lilly 15-8, 3.83 ERA
Lieber
Dempster

All three of these are more solid that all yours, minus Sheets, Marquis would be your THIRD starter on your staff, he would fit right in with his 4.60 ERA, hell, maybe 2nd starter. You guys would kill for a guy like Lieber on your team and he is going to be our 4th starter. He is going to be SOLID this year, 15-10 with a 4.4 era....Dempster, well it is Dempster, who knows, but we have like 8 starters so it really won't matter, all the people in the 5 hole will have short leashs, plus our pen is the best in the NL Central and maybe in the NL. Howry/Marmol/Wood (and wood will be a stud, and if he isn't, they will put Dempster back there who had 28 saves last year, not a small feat)

Umm....Dempster was a starter for Florida and Cincinnati before injuries. The Cubs took a chance on him, and said I think it would be better for you in the bullpen. He's been wanting to get back into the rotation, and now is a good time. Lieber is very nice to have as a 4th or 5th starter. With Marmol (stud), Wood (we'll see) and Howry (blatantly overused) in the bullpen, Cubs have a chance to not blow it. Scavs sure gives Cubs fan a bad name (someone rewrite the Bon Jovi song)

Milwaukee can get the 6+ a game, they also could be no-hit.
Sheets and Gallardo are the poo
Parra - Hope he succeeds
Suppan - consistent - I put him in the Lieber category as an a good innings eater.
Yes the bullpen is the question mark.

Fukudome is a huge deal for Chicago, they needed the left-handed bat in all right handed lineup. Its another reason why the Cubs are trying to get Brian Roberts as he's a switch-hitter.

Good Luck

If either of you guys had Jose Contreras in your rotation then you would sleep a lot better

Not with the way I saw him pitch either his last start or two starts ago. The guy on ABC News said "Much of the same from Jose today" and there they go, like three home runs

Between the HR's and BB's yes, he is the generic for Ambien.

Now I know it is spring training BUT
 

my boy Contreras has thrown 14 innings, 13 hits, 10 runs, 8 of them earned. Mr. Floyd is a close runner up with 11 innings, 11 hits, 9 runs, 8 of them earned.

Could it be possible that Contreras doesn't even make the roster? Just a thought, I can't remember if they extended his contract or what this offseason.....

good Lord Scavs..you ever pitched in Tucson? Pitchers get killed there. The air is so dry that nothing curves and you can't get any spin on the ball. Only guys who ever have decent Springs are power pitchers

Not Tuscon but Mesa....I did travel there in high school for spring training, when it was cool for coaches and teachers to go on trips with kids (I got to go my junior year, where we went out there and had our own spring training) Coach Larry had connections in AZ or something. We played their high school in some exhibition games and got smoked in all of them, more so becuase they have been playing since December, and we just found out gloves in March.

Just a note that is all. he should at least show you he has something in the tank.

I feel better than ever about our wager and now think Floyd will win 15 also

And Mesa is not Tuscon..big difference

LOL...

I have only driven though Tuscon, I know it is more mountainy there and the temperature is about 20 degrees different

where's the love neighbor?

How does Lilly look today? Nice 2nd starter.